Article handling means



Feb. 9, 1954 J w, KAPPEN 2,668,681

ARTICLE HANDLING MEANS Filed Feb. 21, 1948 Invent or Cl H orneg Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED S'iATES TENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

. This invention relates to article handling means, and more particularly to devices useful in the transportation, distribution and storage of packaged goods or the like.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 609,448, filed August 7, 1945, now issued September 12, 1950, as Patent No. 2,521,727.

Although by no means limited thereto, the pallet embodying the present invention is particularly applicable to the transportation and distribution systems of chain grocery stores, truck lines and the like, wherein a large number of packaged goods are assembled in a warehouse or terminal, transported by truck or other means to distributors, retail stores or the like and there unloaded, temporarily stored and finally placed on display for sale.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of article handling means of the pallet or tray type, whereby such pallets may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of uses, having relatively few parts and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the transportation and distribution of goods by providing a device combining the functions of a transportable tray and of a pallet usable during manufacture, storage and delivery of the goods.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a light weight pallet of simple, inexpensive yet sturdy construction, adaptable for use as a merchandise carrier in the loading of transport vehicles.

A further object is to restrain shifting of goods in transit by constructing and arranging the pallets for a predetermined flexure under load.

Still another object is to enable caster wheels, legs, or combinations of legs and wheels to be readily installed upon and detached from the pallet whereby to convert it from a pallet of the skid type to a freely movable, semi-live, or live merchandise support, and vice versa.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pallet of the character described, possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein described.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig, 1 is a view in perspective of a pallet constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in cross-section, taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 4 is a partly schematic view of a truck loaded through use of the pallets embodying the present invention.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the combination tray and pallet, indicated generally at 10 in Fig. 1, comprises a one-piece metal sheet I I rectangular in form and made, according to one practical embodiment of the invention, of an aluminum alloy. The sheet I I is pressed or otherwise formed to a corrugated shape, thereby forming alternate high and low lands I2 and I3. The longitudinal indentations may be termed recesses or channels having substantially parallel sides. The recesses extend throughout the length of the metal sheet I I, and the ends thereof are finished off and protected by strips I4 welded or otherwise secured to the sheet.

The side edges of the sheet II extend downward from a high land I2 and are bent inward, in parallel relation to and in a common plane with the low lands I3, to define a semi-enclosed corrugation I5 within which a wood filler I6 is inserted. The fillers I6 not only lend strength to the device without imparting rigidity, but protect the edges of pallet from deformation and damage in the handling thereof by fork lift trucks, for example.

On one side of the metal sheet II, which in use is the underside thereof, are two hollow members H which serve as skids and reinforcement means, and also permit the handling of the pallet by fork lift trucks. The members I'I occupy longitudinally spaced transverse positions short of the respective ends of the sheet II. As particularly shown in Fig. 3, the members I! are generally U-shaped in cross-section with their free ends turned over for abutment with the underside of the low lands I 3 of sheet H. At spaced transverse points, as at each land l3, rivets l8 are passed through and connect the turned over ends of the member I! and sheet H. Members I1 contain wood fillers l9 which serve the same purpose as the above-mentioned fillers i6.

For modification of the device from a pallet of the skid type to a freely movable support means, detachable casters or legs may also'be mounted on the underside ofsheet ii. This is accomplished by a pair of transverse runners 2i riveted to the sheet H, one at each end of the areabounded by the skid members l7. Arranged in; cooperative, longitudinally spaced relation to each runner 2! is a transverse bar 22 also riveted to sheet II. Bar 22 parallelsrunner-ZLthetwo elements serving as guides or supports for a plate common to a pair of casters or legs. bar 22 is pivotally mounted a latch 23 which is winsabl yazidq n qan cut or a. pos i;- retentionwith respect to a. caster plate, opposite. extremes of movement of the latch; being;- defined by a stud 253,

Com e in h a embly. 0 ar s. aki v p mecombinatiq a la drallet pair r a s 25,-, one of which isriveted teeach extreme outer end of the sheet H, on the underside thereof;

In the use, reierredltain the introductory portion oi -this description; a plurality- -of pallets l a,

may be arranged in parallel relation and intiers as shown in Fjig v 4.- As there illustrated, a truck, trucl trai ler, or othertype of transport body ZS is. i1tte d .;in its interior withspaced sets of -rollers 2g ,a dig extendinglongitudinally along the side, Wall of the body. Each set of rollers 2"l a nd28,

is eng agedby the rails 25;a nd;serve as a support er. eriesi iv al eis I Bri wh p rts th pallets are freely movable.

As shown in ,Fig. 4, onezof ,the advantageous features -the. resent pa let i i op i hen HPPQ WQL PPIL hele 8. transport body Being supported at its extrema: th

li n o. deflec a d become. ow d-z Su hesciiqn. a ses he ,1.; he1 o. a ift t w r s. thepenteroi-the.pallet. The greater the -vibra.-,.

tion orthe transport -body, -the morecompact the;

loa becomes, thereby eliminating thenecessity w ;ing -froz n;; the-principle involved or -=sacrificing ie liherwiss smi e-rin htl -dlu qn the l e The r eest ud iqa mbodyi sj e n itlipally st n pamars na fil r tresuitsin. aflcompound de fiection i. e., fboth longitudinally. t and transversely of the pallet. This produces in ben derstoedthatgthednvention; is not limited ies ubsl nfiel yr ph ic l:- ess n. or ar. M w-am the enter r wh c t e oad-shif ZQQL. :m' Q

This particular construction is of great advantagewhen the load consists of a pluralityof rela ist e t s s u h sse ted o d the fill. -I iifie 'd M a s e v fi e h longitudinal fiexing of the pallet, although still;

desirablefis notabsolutely necessary, sinc the 65agogairqqtgpgu1d load .doesnot have as great a tendency to move delivery.

The presentform of article handling and conran p r On each a vehicle shown and claimed in my copending aplt mate ons mer..-

and e a emkfiez hla on r ctionandithe transport body is only partially ee -f hisi e art u a lr e, ilrs s t .ht: e si" eck t o k ck 26, the pallets it] serve as trays for support of the goods. In making deliveries, a tray and its load may be lifted from the body as a unit and be so retained until distribution of the goods.

5 Outside the body the caster Wheel assemblies may from placeto placeeas desired;

The manner of" use of" the above described pallets and their function while in transit appears to be from a practical standpoint of great I benel lt te;the transportation industry, a complete reorganization of transportation and distribution systemsin the wholesale grocery field already haying beencaused by the fully satisfactory tests of the present equipment. While originally developed for use in conjunction with the transport lieation, Serial 5N0. 609A$8i filedzAugust=;7; l945,

now matured into Batters. Eatent;-No.- 2,52 l;7-2f7;1

issued September 12,1950, the;instantipalletieme.. y bodying the presentvfeaturesiofadvantagerisi by;

* means limited; to use; with the particular: ve-

i l sh wn, inmy. conend ng app icat n... and; lies, in Y fact, caused; considerablecommenteand interest among other fields of transportatioru. for: example, aircraft; and-g railroad. The; instant pallet has alsobeen ;fou1nd.;rq usite satisfactoryand; s u in t e hipmentsotbulky merchandise suchi. as refrigerators and stoves.- When; used-fon; such i p rpo s e pall t may;serve.;as :the carrienon' support for themerchandise; While: passing through the assembly lineinthe: process of manuiacture, When the merchandise is-v fully; as sembled, the completed article is alreadytin :posies tion upon the pallet-:whichwill be;usediin thei transportation oil; thearticle to the :retailer. or

'Ihus transfer oiithe; com-h. pleted article from thetassemblywline pallet to at, shipping pallet ;is completely; eliminated-.3

lrcm. e. ove descriptiomt :will; be apparent:

hat, th re-i h .'D1 Vi d-7a:.device of fthe; Char:- r ll i ltr l aded and la d n. t e bo y-l 45. ster: e c ibe o e sing. the.-- partic fear)- tures of advantage before enumerated :as desire able but .whiqhobviously- :is susceptiblemf 'smo di- 95? 5; Qr.m;: proportions, .detail-'10onstrucl-w t gn angi ;arra l ement :ofn-partswithout ..departi advant es.

While in order to comply with thestatutelthee.

invention-into eifect, and thainvention iszthere. fore claiined in anygof; itsuforms .-.or, -modifica-.-.

tionsyiithin the leg-itimateiand; validiscope-of the pp nded. aim- Hav n :thusdescribedrmiz-=-invention,..I- cla 1" wrench-1 f. 5 12.. j... o .1 No.1 1'2, o se idz n te a a a ing longitudin l --,egt riding coinflfihtions.there ath s e: a l.-e u eico rugations tangent.-

ly parallel, a filler strip 11 at .each end of-.1- then form coveringgthelcorrugations-sin:

i0. u he pla ie mia ackway. ateacn endosthe plat-5;...

veying equipment is particularl ,weltadapted, form comprising a channelironithe.base-ofryvhichta is; attached to the bettQm.,-,of- ;the.depressionsin the platfgrm,; ;the corrugations atstheiside; Ofath? plat rm having reinforcing memb ers .=.inserte'd.3

Masai i tiha-i lu li.9 931 ?Win1 ???P053275 hrg llzandle e d ne.th l ngth orsamqrrugas tions, and combined supports and skid members longitudinally spaced transversely short of the respective ends of the platform, said support and skid members being U-shaped and each having a reinforcing member enclosed therein, said support and skid members extending lower than the trackway at each end of the platform.

JOHN W. KAPPEN.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Denney Nov. 1, 1921 Garbarino Apr. 18, 1944 Fallert et a1 Aug. 10, 1948 Semonton et a1 Aug. 17, 1948 Vrabcak Mar. 13, 1951 

